Bustos named to House Committee on Agriculture

Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Ill., released the following statement after being assigned to the House Committee on Agriculture. Bustos also has been assigned to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which had been announced last month.

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Aledo Times Record - Aledo, IL

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Posted Jan. 7, 2013 at 8:57 AM
Updated Jan 7, 2013 at 8:59 AM

Posted Jan. 7, 2013 at 8:57 AM
Updated Jan 7, 2013 at 8:59 AM

Washington, D.C.

Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Ill., released the following statement after being assigned to the House Committee on Agriculture. Bustos also has been assigned to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which had been announced last month.

“Nothing is more important to me than standing up for communities across our region, and that starts with fighting for our No. 1 industry – agriculture.

“With my assignment today to the House Committee on Agriculture, I will have the opportunity to be a strong advocate for our region’s agricultural community, and the many jobs it provides.

“I look forward to traveling across our Congressional District to meet with farmers and others employed through agriculture. I will advocate for rural development by fighting for value-added agricultural products and the biotech industry, and work to keep the agricultural industry healthy and strong in the coming years.”

Illinois’ 17th Congressional District is the home to thousands of farmers and millions of acres of farmland. It is a world leader in agricultural products, including grain and oilseed production, as well as hogs and cattle.

It is also home to the headquarters of large manufacturing employers Caterpillar and Deere & Co., which employ thousands of workers in Illinois’ 17th Congressional District.

The entire western border of the Congressional District is met by the Mississippi River, on which the barge transportation of agricultural products is key to commerce in the region.

Additionally, the USDA research center in Peoria is at the forefront of finding new uses for crops and creating new technology that improves environmental quality and food safety.